Appenzeller Schwarzer Kristall
Brauerei Locher AG

Appenzeller Schwarzer KristallAppenzeller Schwarzer Kristall
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From:
Brauerei Locher AG
 
Switzerland
Style:
European Dark Lager
Ranked #4
ABV:
6.3%
Score:
92
Ranked #5,463
Avg:
4.17 | pDev: 6.71%
Reviews:
16
Ratings:
41
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 20, 2023
Added:
Oct 12, 2008
Wants:
  9
Gots:
  9
This is a Dunkles Starkbier
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Rated: 4.75 by Steve_Niz from Montana

Sep 20, 2023
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Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England

4.1/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
L- The wide-shouldered bottle causes a loud 'glug-glug-glug' on the pour, unusual/distinct. Pours complete jet-black; not a photon gets through it even held right in front of a bare halogen bulb - most unusual. ps quite heavy sediment left in bottle, so handle/pour carefully.
S- [I inadventently laugh out loud to myself - no really!]. This is one of the more pungent black beers I've smelled recently, and all the more surprise for it being 'just 6.3%'. Big coffee, hints of woody smoke. Wow, striking!
T- Coffee, huge! Then wood ash/cinders like the hearth of a log-fire the day after with smokey facets in it. I repeat,'The Taste is big!' :)
F- This one is certainly not for guzzling, and maybe it's brewed for drinking in winter. The deep taste would fit that season well.
O- Somehow I think of Switzerland and it's F+B as being more trad, restrained and so on, like how I've found many Swiss themselves. Imagining this might be like a German Schwarzbier I got a surprise. This has a huge Taste, really bold. A well proportioned Feel and there is zero here I note wrong or out of balance.
This came as a real surprise, a bit of a 'Taste-wolf in sheep's clothing'. I'd definitely drink this again, AND I'm not even a born fan of black beer - this shows how it can be done, even at 'just 6.3%'.
Bought from BeersOfEurope/UK for home delivery to me. Elegant 330ml bottle BB: 28/02/2021
ps. The above^ are my independent findings. Written before reading other reviews here and also pre the beers back lable that carries some detail.
Sep 25, 2020
 
Rated: 3.77 by BarryMFBurton from Indiana

Aug 01, 2019
 
Rated: 3.84 by Beerasaurus from Virginia

Aug 18, 2018
 
Rated: 3.5 by petermethot from New Jersey

Oct 12, 2017
 
Rated: 4.2 by Taphouse_Traveler from Florida

Feb 08, 2017
 
Rated: 4.23 by hockeypuck from Maine

Jan 29, 2017
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Reviewed by illpass78 from Maine

4.12/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
500 ml bottle poured into a pokal.

Appearance: Near-jet black with a thick tan head that reduces to about a centimeter and sticks around. Looks great.

Aroma: Lots of dark malt in the nose, with a whiff of woody smoke.

Taste: That smoke is there, along with dark fruits and lots of dark, rich malt. Not overly sweet though. Fairly porter-like. Characteristic bitter coffee and dark chocolate you'd associate with porter are there.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied. Booze is there but isn't a big punch in the face. Best sipped slowly in my opinion, as it's fairly complex.

Overall: Really good stuff. I don't know much about Swiss beer or Swiss anything but this is a treat for dark beer fans who want something different.
Jan 19, 2017
 
Rated: 4.1 by midlifec from Michigan

Jan 07, 2017
 
Rated: 4.05 by gulli from Michigan

Dec 18, 2016
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Rated by Beginner2 from Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Found on a trip thru Switzerland at a beer store in the Basel train station, I would have this beer again if I could find it.
Listed on the "1001."
Aug 18, 2016
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Reviewed by Jason from Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Review from BeerAdvocate magazine issue #111
(APR 2016)

Black, Sweet, Char, Smooth
A Swiss Stout of sorts, Schwarzer Kristall uses generous amounts of dark malt to bring it to its complete degree of darkness. This beer smells and tastes faintly of molasses and cocoa, sweet, but just roasty enough to keep it from getting cloying. It’s really about malt, malt and malt here. Not that there’s any loss of balance, but that’s just the showcase ingredient here. Each luscious sip makes me want to savor this bottle. I can’t get enough. [Jason]

Look 4.00 | Smell 4.00 | Taste 3.75 | Feel 4.50 | Overall 4.00
Aug 11, 2016
 
Rated: 4.24 by GreatStoutman from Texas

Jul 09, 2016
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Reviewed by tuesunsommiel from New York

4.37/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A: Black, opaque, minimal/no light passing through, tan head/not too foamy
S: roasted malt, chocolate, coffee/espresso, burnt sugar/candy, hint of raisins
T: burnt toffee, coffee, roasted/toasted malts, hint of smoke (akin to a porter)
M: surprisingly light, smooth, some coating of the mouth
O: Great beer, tastes a lot like a porter and easy to drink. Purchased at Basel's Drinks of the World (DOTW) and will likely purchase another for the train ride on my way to the airport when I head back to the US

Similar Beer: Souther Tier's Porter
Jun 02, 2016
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Reviewed by flyingpig from Scotland

4.13/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
330ml bottle from Drinks of the World, Basel (2.90 CHF):
Very nice & 1 of the better Swiss beers I've tried. Good roasted malts & dark fruits alongside sugars & chocolate flavours plus a touch of smoke towards the end; great stuff & very much a beer that I wouldn't mind having again at some point.
Nov 26, 2015
 
Rated: 4.13 by Bung from Michigan

Nov 05, 2015
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Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

4.3/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
500 ml bottle into lager glass, best before 5/27/2015. Pours clear nearly opaque dark brown/black color with a 1 finger dense dark tan head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, toast, dark bread, brown sugar, light smoke, light herbal, and roast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malts and light earthy hop notes; with good strength. Taste of big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, toast, dark bread, brown sugar, light smoke, herbal, and roast/toasted earthiness. Light herbal/roasted bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, toast, dark bread, brown sugar, light smoke, and roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Light-moderate roasted dryness after the finish. Fantastic complexity and robustness of dark/roast/bready malt and light earthy hop flavors; with a great roasted bitterness/sweetness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Super clean lager flavors with zero yeast ester notes present. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, creamy, and lightly chalky mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is an incredible schwarzbier! All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt and light earthy hop flavors; and very smooth and easy to drink. A highly enjoyable offering.
Sep 05, 2015
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Reviewed by Canada_Dan from Colorado

4.13/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
From my honeymoon notes: Schwarzbier. Pours black with a nice espresso head. Smoky with licorice and dark chocolate. Thin mouthfeel. Very unique for a Swiss brew
Aug 14, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by cryptichead from Illinois

Jul 06, 2015
 
Rated: 3.87 by szmnnl99 from Michigan

Jun 24, 2015
Appenzeller Schwarzer Kristall from Brauerei Locher AG
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 41 ratings